Google prepping pay TV service in Kansas City. Is it the start to competing with cable TV elsewhere?

In addition to laying a high-speed fiber-optic network in Kansas City, Mo., Google is applying to offer that city's customers a pay TV service that puts it in competition with local cable TV providers.

The service would be similar to the competition's -- live TV, on-demand offerings, and online access to shows -- and could be available within the next couple of months. In addition to needing approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission, Google also needs to finalize licensing agreements with broadcast networks.

Needless to say, this is Google's first foray into being a pay TV provider, but will it be the last? The company has indicated that it could roll the service out in other markets where it won't compete with Verizon's FiOS service. It has stated in the past that the Google Fiber experiment in Kansas City isn't a blueprint for a nationwide network, but if it wants to sell ads against video content, as the Journal suggests, a widespread fiber-optic network would be a good way to go about it.

Would you be interested in a Google pay TV service if it were available in your neighborhood? Let us know your thoughts in the Talkback section.